City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 10.2% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $110,200 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $375 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Boise City, ID.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Boise City, ID to Columbus, GA ($106,437 → $112,556), while prices change by −9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.5% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,756 in Columbus | $110,185 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$375/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$375/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Columbus, GA | Real change, Boise City → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,271 | +16.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,972 | +16.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $94,654 | +16.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $112,556 | +16.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,007 | +16.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $61,360 | $67,610 (+10.4%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $116,150 | $127,980 (−2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $73,640 | $81,140 (+5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $82,500 | $90,903 (−7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.